Low-water alarm for steam-boilers



(No Model.)

T. HAMILTON. LOW WATER ALARM EOBIS'IEAM BOILERS. I No; 246,007. PatentedAug. 23,1881.

WITNESSES v .IJV'V' TOR I I Q fi $45 M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS HAMILTON, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY.

LOW-WATER ALARM FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,007, dated August23, 1881.

Application filed June 8, 1981. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS HAMILTON, acitizen of the United States, residing at New Brunswick, in the State ofNew Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement inLow-WaterAlarms for Steam-Boilers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to that class of water alarms in which themovement of an external alarm-starter in the form of a hollow ball, or alike vessel of any shape adapted to contain steam and water, iscontrolled by the level of the water in the boiler through the agencysimply of pipe-connections with the water and steam-space above andbelow the mean waterline.

The present invention consists, first, in the combination, in awater-alarm of this description, of apairof stationary bearingssupported by the respective pipe-connections with the boiler, ahorizontal double-ended spigot or recessed hub, working water and steamtight in said bearings, and a pairot' tubes forming, with said hub, alever, and connected therethrongh with the water and steam spaces,respectively, as means for connecting a hollow ball or the like bothwith the water-space and with the steam-space in a simple and efficientway, so

a that it may instantaneously empty itself and rise and start the alarmwhen the water falls below a given level without the aid of flexibletubes.

This invention consists, secondly, in the aforesaid combination of partsin connection with a steam-whistle attached to the said bea ring, whichcommunicates with thesteam-space, the steam endot' the said spigot beingconstructed so as to turn the steam into the whistle when the emptiedball rises.

a perspective view of the upper part of the front of a steam-boilerprovided with my lowwater alarm, showing the latter as in the act ofsounding an alarm. Fig. 2 is a half-elevation of the same, showing theparts at rest with the ball down. Fig. 3 represents a horizontal sectionon the line 3 3, Fig. 2 Fig. 4, a vertical section at 4 4, Fig. 1; andFig. 5 a-vertical section on the line 5 5, Fig. 2.

Like letters of ret'erenceindicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

A represents an illustrative steam-boiler set in brick-work, and B analarmstarter in the form of a hollow copper ball, for which 1 maysubstitute a like vessel of any shape and material, containing a chamberof a capacity of four quarts, more or less, and adapted to sustainalternately steam and atmospheric pressure.

S and W represent steam and water pipe connections of five-eighths inchiron or brass tubing, screwed into the front of the boiler A, above andbelow the mean water-line respectively, and provided with stop-cocks.

B and B represent sleeve-bearings, supported respectively by the steamand water connections; H, a double-ended spigot or re-- cessedhub'working water and steam tight in said bearings; and T T a pair ofrigid pipes or tubes screwed into said, hub, so as to communicate withthe'recesses in its respective ends, and connected therethroughrespectively with the steam and water spaces ot the boiler,

- said tubes T T forming, with said hub H, a lever or, swinging arm, tothe outer end of which the ballB is coupled, as illustrated moreparticularly by Fig. 5. As shown in this figure, the bottom of the ballis provided with a cast saddle or coupling-piece, c, which may besoldered thereto, and which has a pair of necks to receive respectivelythe extremity of the steam-tube T and a suitable union at the extremityot' the water-tube T providing for the attachment of apet-cock, 1). ofthe steam-tube is screwed into the top of the coupling-piece c andreaches to the top of the chamber within the ball. 'When the ball B isdown, as illustrated by Figs. 2 and 3, and by the line 2, Fig. 4, thesteam-space of the An extension, t,

boiler A communicates with the upper part of the ball-chamber throughthapipe-connection S, bearing 13, hub H, and tubes T tiby means of aradial hole, h, in the hub. When the ball is up, as illustrated by Fig.1, and by the line 1, Fig. 4., steam is cut off from the interior of thehub, which communicates with the ball, as shown in Fig. 4.

The water-space of the boiler communicates at all times with theball-chamber through the pipe-connection W, bearing B hub H, and tube Tand the said cutting 01]? of the steam may consequently be utilized, ifdesired, for automatically relowering the ball, a sufiicient vacuum inthe ball-chamber being created in a short time by the condensation ofthe confined steam to cause the ball to be refilled or partiallyrefilled with water, through the open water-way, by the steam-pressurewithin the boiler. V

The pipe s of a steam-whistle, w, is screwed into one side of thebearing B and the hub H is provided with a matching-groove, g, Fig. 4,which, when the ball B is up, connects the interior of said pipe 8 withthat of the pipe-connection S, so that the steam escapes through thewhistle, sounding an effective alarm when the ball rises.

L represents a combined lifting-spring and bell-support, having asuitable bell, b,attached to its extended free end, which is its lowerend, while its upper end is coiled, and the coil supllOltt-(i by aninternal pin, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. v

P represents a loose grooved pulley at the extremity, a stud projectingover the ball B; O, a, conuecting-cord passing over said pulley from aneye, 0. on the former to an eye, attached to the spring L; and Drepresents a power-driven shaft, provided with a tappet, t, which saidspring L engages with for ringing the bell after lifting the emptiedball, as illustrated by Fig. 1.

G G2 G represent the ordinary gage-cocks of the boiler.

In the example the shaft D is a special shaft mounted in bearings withinthe setting of the boiler. In practice it may be anycouveuieutly-located line-shaft, and the ball may, if desired, beconnected with two or more bells in different parts of the works towhich the boiler belongs. v

The whistleis designed, primarily, as a nightalarm, and its pipe may beprovided with a stop-cock to shut oil the steam therefrom during theday; or it may be used for the purposes of an ordinary steam-whistle bylilting the bail B, so as to place it in communication with the boilerat any time, and regulating the escape of steam by the cock in thepipe-connection S.

By closing the cock in the pipe-connection W and opening the pet-cock pthe ball B may be emptied at will, so as to cleanse it, or to test thecondition of the apparatus.

When an alarm is sounded automatically to indicate low water, asillustrated by Fig. l, I prefer that it shall continue until theengineer arrives to stop it, and this is readily insured by making thestrength of the spring L, plus the resistance of the joints, exceed thegravity of the filled ball. The apparatus may, however, be adapted tostop itself when the ball is refilled, as aforesaid, and it may beadapted additionally to start the boiler-feeder should any maker soprefer.

, The parts for which no materials have been named may all be made ofiron or brass or well-known substitutes, in obvious forms.

I do not claim, broadly, the combination, in a low-water alarm, of ahollow ball or like vessel adapted to receive and discharge Water fromthe boiler, a lilting-spring or counterweight, and a steam-whistle, asthis is very old. my improved apparatus, which are not essential to therespective combinations hereinafter claimed.

I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent- 1. Thecombination, in a low-Water alarm for steam-boilers, of thepipe-connections S W, bearings B B, double spigot-hub H, and tubes T Twith a hollow ball, substantially as herein described, for the purposeset forth. 2. The combination, in a low-water alarm for steam-boilers.of the pipe-connections S W, bearings B B, double spigot-hub H, andtubes T T with a hollow ball attached to'the outer ends of said tubes TT, and a steam-whistle attached to said bearings B substantially asherein specified, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combined lift-iugspring and bellsupport L, provided with analarm-bell, in combination with the power-driven shaft D, carrying atappet, the hollow ball B, adapted to receive water from a steam-boiler,and to emptyitself and to rise when emptied, and the cord 0, connectingsaid lifting spring and ball, substantially as herein described, for thepurpose specified.

THOMAS HAMILTON.

Witnesses: JAMES T. KILPATRIGK, J. B. HAMILTON.

Neither do I limit myself to details of'

